Letters to the editor, Aug. 4

Using the wall at 16th Street and Mission as an example, Public Works director Mohammed Nuru demonstrates how the walls deflect liquid onto the clothes of those that urinate on the walls.

Using the wall at 16th Street and Mission as an example, Public...

Regarding “Olympics need to be leaner to score a host” by C.W. Nevius (Aug. 1): Once again, the article distills a complex story that sets the blood of many to boiling, and then he gets to the nub of things. Whatever the modern Olympics may be to the teams, multinational corporate sponsors and officials, to the rest of us, they are ever more bloated paloozas, with true financial dangers for hosting cities. With his conclusion that describes San Francisco as “innovative, beautiful and sensible,” he reminds us that solving authentic challenges are also well within our grasp. And San Francisco is grown up enough to set out its own terms and conditions for the honor to host Olympic glory, so that a shiny-seeming opportunity isn’t just one more challenge.

The sentiments of the letter writers expressing their remorse over the senseless killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe are shared by me. As “End practice of hunting exotic animals” (Letters, Aug. 1) passionately wrote: “The time for ending this despicable practice is now. Let Cecil’s death not be in vain. Let it stand for something. Let the anger we all feel toward this disgusting situation be directed toward ending the practice once and for all.” And so it should be that Kathryn Steinle’s death not be in vain. Let her death stand for something. Let the anger we all feel toward her senseless killing be directed toward ending the existence of sanctuary cities in America once and for all. Were it not for the existence of San Francisco’s insane and, I would argue, illegal sanctuary city policy, Kathryn Steinle would be alive today.

Paul Forrest,

Arnold, Calaveras County

Circle of life

There have been many letters rightfully deploring the death of Cecil the lion at the hands of a “sportsman” who paid a large sum for the privilege. I am not a hunter and do not own a gun, but I would remind everyone that there are many antelopes, wildebeests, zebras and giraffes who will not be torn to pieces and eaten alive now that Cecil is no more. There is no slaughterhouse or factory farm that is as cruel as nature. We live in an imperfect world where every living thing survives by eating other forms of life. Live with it!

George Cunha, San Rafael

Crazy times

Regarding “After 3 years, refugee camp becomes a city” (Aug. 3): So I pick up the front section this morning and read about the Jordanians dealing with over 80,000 Syrian refugees (Turkey over 1 million). The editorial page points out that a few thousand women and children refugees are treated like you know what and labeled a danger to this country! Any wonder when shaving, I look in the mirror and ask: “What kind of country are we, really?”

Leonard Dorin, Lafayette

Trophy animals

The killing (no euphemisms for “taking”) of Cecil the lion or any other “trophy” animal raises a very different issue, that of decimating the genetic strength of the species. Look at the huge rack of antlers on the elk the hunter shot, or on the Big Horn Sheep. These majestic animals are the strongest and best leaders of the herd. Now whatever lion who will take Cecil’s place will eat Cecil’s cubs, again compromising the gene pool. Are these killers really so in need of trying to make themselves look so macho and so rich? Pathetic.

Mimi Kugushev, Menlo Park

Portable toilets

While the urine-resistant paint will discourage some (not all), it does not solve the problem of a biological need. As one walks through the city, there are publicly funded construction sites, all with portable toilets which are locked. Perhaps the added cost of allowing 24/7 access to these would be an acceptable alternative to the ongoing maintenance of property due to public urination.

Robert Ludden, San Francisco

‘War on women’

Regarding Carla Marinucci’s “GOP’s ‘war on women’ problem” (Aug. 3) is an amazing example of twisting a story to meet the goal of supporting Planned Parenthood and its government funding. The undercover videos shot by the Center for Medical Progress show a series of top Planned Parenthood officials casually discussing dismembering fetuses. Militant anti-abortion group or not, the videos are amazing in displaying the callousness of the Planned Parenthood officials. In Marinucci’s version, that story becomes the Republicans’ new “war on women.” For the curious, the videos are available, in both the edited versions and the full length videos. They are worth a look.

Valerie Schmalz, San Francisco

Eating animals

When one considers the daily slaughter of millions of creatures to satisfy the human animal’s habit of eating flesh, the outrageous murder of that noble lion pales in comparison.

Celia Menczel, Walnut Creek

Raise gas tax

Regarding “Congress must offer long-term funding” (Open Forum, July 27): The funding bill in Congress for highway and transit operations is about $52 billion. I understand that the shortage in gas tax income is $28 billion. $18 billion is being taken from other tax income, leaving a need for $10 billion. Note that a penny tax increase on gasoline sales nets $1 billion per year of federal tax income. The solution is to raise the gas tax by 10 cents/gallon to get the $10 billion. Better still, increase it by 28 cents and highway funds could be totally financed by the new gasoline taxes, as was originally intended by Congress.